From the same director as adorably underrated 2008 gay musical, Were the World Mine, comes a sparkly new rom-com-ical with a lovable couple at its center. Glitter & Doom sells itself as an Indigo Girls jukebox musical. Certainly, the film is a full-on extravaganza, complete with duets, impressive dancing choreography, and bright visuals bursting with creativity. Yet, in its presentation, Glitter & Doom becomes hampered from time to time by its shoestring budget. Even still, falling in love with its central pairing comes easy. Both are thinly-drawn, etching out characterizations almost entirely through innumerable music numbers. In this simplicity, Glitter & Doom finds a sweet spot, hammering home messages of following lifelong dreams by way of its core relationship.
Played by Scottish-Filipino actor Alex Diaz, Glitter becomes easy to root for almost immediately. One of Glitter’s performance is our window into the feature, as he sports a goofy clown nose and graduation cap during a bit. A street performer with a heart of gold, only later do we learn that Glitter’s relationship with his blind-in-one-eye mother, Ivy (Ming-Na Wen), hinges on unrealistic expectations. Glitter wants to take his act on the road, or literally join a circus. On the flip side, Doom (Alan Cammish) has dreams of making it big with his music. Over and over again, he tries to audition with catchy songs he has written, playing guitar and lead vocals. Despite his best efforts, Doom’s music career simply has not taken off yet; conversely to Glitter’s familial connection, Doom’s mother presents further complications that only add fuel to his passionate fire. Fresh off another rejection, Doom meets Glitter briefly while the latter is in the midst of recording a headstand.
Not much later, the two meet again at a gay club. Doom promises to add Glitter “to the list” the next time he performs, which obviously cannot be the case considering Doom’s lack of gigs. A casual flirtation turns into something more when Glitter suggests they go on a camping trip together. Can their relationship merely be a fling, or will a full-blown love affair be in the cards? Two people who change one another irrevocably has been done over and over again, and Glitter & Doom follows that same trajectory. Despite the minimal surprises the straightforward narrative may carry, the journey to get there overflows with delights.
Director Tom Gustafson toys with interesting song combinations to pair with his varied cinematography. One of my favorite moments of the movie as a whole is the first time Glitter and Doom make love, juxtaposed against Doom recording a song called, “Keeper Of My Heart.” Much of the numbers are filmed as actual music videos, which works for something like High School Musical more than it does an indie project. Glitter & Doom features many interesting visual stylings throughout, including flashing polaroid photography, an omnipresent smattering of lyrics, and video footage from many of Glitter’s video diaries. Not all of these work, but they are at least showcasing a filmmaker with ambition to spare.
The essence of romance works significantly better than when Glitter & Doom attempts emotional depth. I am not entirely convinced that Doom’s oft-imprisoned mother adds anything significant beyond giving superstar Missi Pyle a vocal feast. Glitter’s wealthy family similarly seems there only to pad out the runtime. Minor gripes aside, this film gives queer audiences enough cuteness and eye candy to forgive any shortcomings. The moment Glitter and Doom embrace accompanied by actual fireworks and the red-hot chemistry of Alex Diaz and Alan Cammish, there can be no denying the contagious energy of Glitter & Doom.
Prepare to take a journey with Glitter & Doom when this unique feature travels into theaters in N.Y. and L.A. on Friday, March 8th, followed by a nationwide expansion.
One of the best uplifting, inspiring, and heartwarming musicals on film.